


adore you

by eeveeivy



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Ben Hanscom Loves Beverly Marsh, Ben Hanscom is a Good Friend, Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh in Love, Beverly Marsh & Stanley Uris Are Best Friends, Beverly Marsh Loves Ben Hanscom, Bill Denbrough Being an Idiot, Bill Denbrough Doesn't Stutter, Bill Denbrough Loves Stanley Uris, Bill Denbrough is a Mess, Boys In Love, Cliche as Hell, Dorks in Love, Eddie Kaspbrak & Richie Tozier Bickering, Eddie Kaspbrak is So Done, Established Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, F/M, Falling In Love, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, I Tried, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Sorry, Idiots in Love, M/M, Made For Each Other, Mike Hanlon Isn't Homeschooled, Minor Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Mistaken for Being in a Relationship, One-Sided Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Pining, Richie Tozier & Stanley Uris Are Best Friends, Richie Tozier Flirts, Richie Tozier Loves Stanley Uris, Richie Tozier is Bad at Feelings, Richie Tozier is Whipped, Richie Tozier is a Mess, Sharing a Bed, Slow Build, Stanley Uris Loves Birds, Stanley Uris Loves Richie Tozier, Stanley Uris is a Good Friend, Stanley Uris is a Mess, Stanley Uris-centric, Tags Are Hard, Writer Bill Denbrough, and just dont make moves for a while, as much, based on a youtube video, but in good way, he's just in love, i wanna say slowburn but, richie is kinda obsessed with stan, richie tozier annoys stanley uris, richie tozier is NOT a stalker, stanley and bill kinda had a thing, stanley uris hates how tall richie tozier is, they fall for each other really fast, they're gay and in love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:28:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23550808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eeveeivy/pseuds/eeveeivy
Summary: "Y'know, you can take pictures of me. It'll last longer." Richie quipped, causing heat to rise to Stanley's cheeks. "Sorry for staring..." He mumbled, avoiding eye-contact. "Yeah, you said that last time too." Stanley blushed a redder shade. "Maybe it is every day that a cutie checks you out."orStanley Uris and Richie Tozier meet on a park bench and every day brings them a little bit closer.
Relationships: Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Mike Hanlon/Eddie Kaspbrak, Richie Tozier/Stanley Uris
Comments: 14
Kudos: 44





	1. Sunday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sundays are like confetti floating in the air in slow motion, in the evening they reach the ground and you hope a bit of wind could blow on them so they could fly a bit longer.”  
> ― Alain Bremond-Torrent
> 
> [meeting & getting to know each other]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yo! this is my first serious fic where i have everything planned out... its kinda spooky ><
> 
> here are the face claims for all of the losers since they're aged up :) some of them arent exact {everyone except bev & ben} but close enough!!
> 
> the instagrams:  
> stanley, 18: joshhewitt  
> richie, 19: brandon_arreaga  
> bill, 19: autumnasaboy  
> eddie, 20: taldykin.ivan  
> beverly, 19: mathilda.mai  
> mike, 21: __ajharris  
> ben, 18: aaronhulll
> 
> if u wanna see the pictures that made me think of the losers, let me know!! i will send u the links :)

Stanley sat on the park bench, admiring the scenery. The midst of April was his favorite time. The birds' chirps resided so pleasantly with the rich green grass and pastel blossoms. A butterfly had fluttered around his golden cork-screw curls before settling on the cover of his bird book. He smiled down at the creature, the peacefulness in his solitude made him feel warm. He hadn't felt so content when he was alone for such a long time.

So when a man had asked to sit next to Stan, he had allowed it with a bright smile. Stan glanced at the butterfly, the trees, the sky, a rock near his shoe, and then the man next to him. He appeared relaxed, a small simper on his face. His dark, auburn locks reached the top of his bushy eyebrows and curled at the ends. His bright, baby blue eyes were stunning, a reflection of the sky.

His eyelashes were ridiculously long, Stan thought it was almost unfair. His wide, round eyes peered above thick, coffee-colored, rectangular glasses. The galaxy of freckles that danced all around his face, brought it all together. All these features were complemented by his sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and thin, button nose. Stanley thought he was beautiful, in an awkward, alien type of way.

His clothing choices were another story. The man was wearing a black, corduroy turtleneck, and an unbuttoned Hawaiian-print shirt overlapping. He wore navy blue boyfriend jeans that were cuffed at the end. It led down to matching black, corduroy socks. The shoes he wore were red, untied vans, that matched some of the flowers on his shirt. Stanley despised it, yet adored the style. He was weird-looking, so weird that it became appealing and cute. After Stan did his full inspection of the man, he looked back at his face.

The stranger made eye-contact with Stanley, causing Stan's face to flush and he quickly averted his eyes. He straightened his already perfect posture and tightened the grip on his book, lifting it to cover his chest when he realized the butterfly had flown away. 

"I'm Richie," the man introduced himself. Stanley didn't know what he was expecting, but it _for sure_ wasn't that this man's voice would be as deep as it is. The blond turned back to Richie. 

"Stanley. Uris," he replied with a curt nod of his head, his curls bouncing. "Sorry for staring."

Richie grinned, revealing a dimple on his left cheek. It made Stan smile, not only was his smile contagious, but it was also that he enjoyed each little aspect of Richie. Stan noticed the many rings on his fingers, his painted turquoise nails, and the double ear-piercings. The healing scab on his chin and his busted lip, and a bruised and scraped knee that poked through the distressed jeans. (Stan figured he must've fallen recently, it would explain the lip and why the jeans were only torn where the bruises were shown.) The small, faded scar on his cheek, a few acne scars here and there. Richie was a mess, and Stan adored it. "Don't worry about it. It's not every day a cutie checks you out." Richie smirked, giving Stanley a brief wink. Stan scoffed at the dull flirt, but couldn't help but notice his face warming up and the flaps of butterfly wings in his stomach. 

"Your shoes are untied," Stanley responded, glancing at Richie's shoes. Richie lifted his foot to see his vans. "Yeah, it's a choice." He lifted his shoulder to his cheek, his lips curling up at the sides. Stan tittered at his words, causing him to think of a superhero movie that Beverly made him watch.

Stan bit his lip, staring at the soil, speculating the question he wanted to ask. He looked back up at Richie. "Do you... wanna get something to eat?" He inquired softly, peering at Richie through his eyelashes. Richie's eyes twinkled in the sunlight and he gave Stan a lopsided grin. "My, my, Mistah Uris, already askin' me on a date?" Richie asked rhetorically with a southern belle voice. Stan's eyes widened at the voice and his face tinted a soft red at his words. "You have just swept me off my feet, I'm truly charmed. I would love to accompany you for a swell lunch."

Stan's jaw went slack and he simpered in amusement and bewilderment, yet he was confused and annoyed. "What was _that_?'' Stanley asked through a laugh. Richie grinned at Stan's reaction, laughing softly as well. "Richie Tozier's the name, and doing voices is my game," he answered nonchalantly as if waiting for someone to ask. Stan snorted and shook his head at Richie's blasé reply. "Okay, Richard," Stan beamed, his pupils dilating. "You're _definitely_ one of the weirdest people I've met.'' Richie's eyes were soft with adoration. "I'm honored, Staniel," he smiled amorously.

Stan burst into another fit of giggles. Usually, this would annoy him to the limit, get on all of his nerves, and push every single one of his buttons, but there was something about Richie that hindered that feeling. "Nicknames too? You are full of surprises." Stan declared, a smile plastered on his face.

  
  
  


Richie Tozier was one of the most entertaining people Stan had met. He had so many stories about his friends: Eddie and Mike. Richie had a knack for storytelling - or maybe just speaking in general. Stanley noticed his nose would twitch sometimes and the edges of his eyes crinkled when he smiled. Sometimes he would jut out his tongue to moisten his lips, only to wince, remembering that it was previously an open wound and still healing. Stan would be able to watch and observe Richie for hours, and not get bored. He may get annoyed - Richie made _constant_ “your mom” jokes - but never bored.

Stan was listening intently to a story about the time Mike and Eddie had played Seven Minutes In Heaven. He calmly sipped his coffee, a smile still on his face. 

Stan almost spit it out when Richie mentioned that Eddie had walked out with hickeys all over his neck. “Wait-“ Stan pointed his finger at Richie in an accusatory manner. “You said Mike went in with Eddie. From what I’ve heard, Mike doesn’t seem like that kind of guy.” He looked at Richie skeptically and lowered his hand. Richie's eyes glimmered, ecstatic that Stan was listening. “Yes! That's why I couldn't stop laughing! Mike, this sweet, loyal, down-to-earth guy, marking his best friend!” Richie snickered, reminiscing the moment. “I thought he was straight, but they’ve been dating for three years now.”

Stan simpered at that while Richie drank some water. Stanley had always liked happy endings. 

“Hey, you haven’t said a word about yourself since we got here,” Richie pointed out. “I wanna know about you too.” He smiled meekly, the first time Stan had seen in the couple hours they had been hanging out. Stanley cherished Richie's small smile. The mere moment of Richie showing vulnerability made him feel connected to Richie. 

Stan tapped the table with his fingers rhythmically, thinking. “Well, I'm graduating in June. Umm... I have my close friends: Bill, Ben, and Beverly.” Stan struggled to think of things to say, and his cheeks started flushing of embarrassment. He hadn’t considered himself as boring until now. “I like to bird-watch,” he finished, biting his lip. “I'm not... interesting,” he mentioned softly, pursing his lips afterward. He looked up from the table to see Richie watching him, a smile still on his face. “What?” Stan asked, tightly gripping onto his mug.

“You say you’re not interesting, but I think you are.” Richie confided, sending Stanley a bright smile. Stan’s eyes widened and he tucked a curl behind his ear. “What? Why? You barely know anything about me.” Richie tittered for a moment. 

“You’re graduating this year, what are you gonna major in? Are you even going to college? Close friends: Bill, Ben, and Bev, what are they like? How long have you guys been friends? You like bird-watching, which side-note seems boring but you somehow make it cute,” 

Stanley flushed. 

“What's your favorite bird? How long have you been bird-watching? How did you get into it? Could I tag along some time? Which leads me to, is this a one-time thing? Will we ever see each other again? Is this friendship going to last? Is this even a friendship? You make me think, and _frankly_ , having you on my mind is not too bad.” Richie ranted, grinning at the end.

Stanley's cheeks flushed a bright red and he sipped his coffee to cover his face. “You’re so _cute_ , Uris.” Richie laughed softly, making Stan smile. He tried to hide it by pursing his lips, but there was something about Richie that made his smile contagious. 

“Shut up, Tozier,” Stan muttered, scrunching his nose. Richie and Stan looked at each other in comfortable silence, smiles stuck to their faces. 

After a minute, Stan cleared his throat and tapped the sides of his mug. “I want to major in accounting.” He started, not having much more to say about that. “Um... Ben is the sweetest guy I know. He wants to be an architect. He and Beverly are dating. Beverly is my best friend. She's always been there for me when I needed her most. Bill...” Stan’s eyes traveled to watch Richie's hands, not wanting to make eye contact. He sighed and started again. “Bill is great. He's very charming and... He’s handsome. Uh... Very loyal and kind.” Stan trailed off.

“Did you like him?” Richie asked gently.

“ _What_ ?” Stan's face flared a harsh red and he looked up at Richie. “No. Why? Ugh. How could I ever like _Bill_? He’s arrogant and selfish... And just not my type.” Stan wasn’t even sure if he had a "type.” Richie couldn’t help the smile that appeared on his face. 

“So that’s a yes... What happened between you two?” Stanley huffed and sat back. “He never noticed me. Completely oblivious. He had a crush on Beverly. Confided in me with all his secrets, yet wanted Beverly.” Stan grimaced at the recollection. “Anyways, Bill and I have been friends since we were children. We met Beverly and Ben in seventh grade.” Stan paused and looked into Richie's eyes. “What was your next question?"

"Favorite bird?" Richie repeated softly, a smile dancing on his lips.

"Oh, Bewick's wren, definitely. They're small birds, hyperactive, and sing very loudly. The feature to decipher them from other wrens are their brown feathers.” Stanley answered, smiling at the thought of bird-watching. 

“I think you’d like Eddie. He’s small, loud, annoying, _and_ a brunette.” Richie grinned, lacing his fingers under his chin. Stanley snorted and rolled his eyes. "From what you've said, he sounds like a delight. Also, birds are not annoying! How could you say that?" Richie snickered gently at Stan's defensiveness. "Because they are! When I'm trying to sleep at five in the morning, they're loud as hell."

"Sleep at five in the morning? That's around the time I wake up. Plus, their calls are beautiful." Stan muttered the last part. "Why are you awake at five A.M?" Richie asked, furrowing his eyebrows. Stan parted his lips to think before sealing them again. "I have a morning routine." Stanley briefly explained, entwining his fingers together. "Which entails..?" Richie questioned, slightly leaning forward.

"I take a shower, get dressed, listen to the birds, eat breakfast, and then read a bit." Stan listed, before taking a sip from his drink. Richie furrowed his eyebrows. "Every day? You do that every day?" He asked, the crinkles in his brow making Stan frown as well. "Yes. I do. Why are you so..." Stan searched for the right word. "Concerned about that?"

"Doesn't it get repetitive?" Richie tilted his head slightly, a few strands of hair falling to the side.

Stanley took a beat. "I suppose, a little bit. But... I'm used to it. It's nice." Richie shrugged and returned to his normal, cheery smile. "Okie dokie." He chirped. Stan smiled and gave a brief nod before sipping his coffee. Richie's phone chimed a tune and Richie quickly pulled it out of his pocket. Stan recognized the song, Everybody Talks by Neon Trees. 

It was Beverly's favorite song for a while. She played it on repeat until Stan got too annoyed, and it was played at her birthday parties for three years in a row. Maybe it was a sign that he and Richie would be good companions. Wishful thinking. 

"Sorry, I have to take this," Richie told Stan, a small frown on his face. "No problem," Stanley assured with a warm smile.

Richie raised the phone to his ear, "Spaghetti! What's up, bud?” Stanley listened to the one-sided conversation, staring into his mug. “Yes, I did indeed.” A pause for the other side to speak. “I’m pretty sure you told Mike that.” A smile crept onto Richie’s face. “I was in the same room, silly goose.” Richie laughed softly. “No idea,” Richie paused to look up at Stanley and smile. Stan returned it. 

“Guess I’m in a good mood.” Stanley bashfully grinned, the thought of Richie being happy because of him made heat rise to his cheeks. “Yep... Uh-huh. Talk to you later.” Richie laughed and his cheeks dusted red. Stan thought it looked good on him. “No! _No_ , I’m not in someone’s bed... _Jeez_ , what kinda guy do you take me for?” Richie grinned at the response he got. "That's dumb. Okay, bye, love you too." Richie ended the call and put his phone down and looked back up at Stanley. "Sorry, it was my spaghetti. Oh, sorry." Richie simpered sheepishly. "It was Eddie." Stanley nodded and gave Richie a tender smile. "No problem."

Stan checked his watch and nearly gasped. 8 PM? The time couldn't have passed that rapidly. He glanced out the window to see the sun setting. "Oh. I have to go." Stanley informed making Richie raise his eyebrows. "Yeah, it's a school night. I promised Bill I would go over an essay of his and I have a bit of homework myself." Stanley explained, gathering his stuff and putting a napkin in his mug. 

Richie stood with him and they were closer than they both intended or expected. Both of the boys flushed and Stanley took a step back. "It was nice hanging out with you." Stanley smiled and Richie nodded his head in reciprocation. 

"Uh... Could I have your number?" Richie asked meekly, reaching for his phone. "Oh. Uh, yeah! Sure, yeah." Stanley answered, a bit timidly. He wasn't quite used to getting asked this question. Richie handed him his phone and Stanley typed in his phone number. "Do you need a ride?" Richie asked, putting his phone into his pocket. "No, thank you." Stanley smiled and pulled out his wallet. Richie tilted his head, "I got it." Stanley looked up at him. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It's fine. You can repay me with another... _date_." Richie grinned, causing Stanley to smile as well. "I'll... Uh, I'll text you." He promised. "Okay. Cool." Richie responded, giving a slight nod of his head. The two walked out together and Stanley smiled at Richie again.

"See you later, alligator." Richie beamed.

Stanley laughed softly. "In a while, crocodile."

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave feedback!! let me know if this is garbage lol


	2. Monday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stanley likes Richie more than he realizes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ur back!  
> hello!! im glad ur enjoying this story :)  
> im trying to post these on their respective days, buts 2am on a tuesday for me :( {close enough right?}
> 
> i hope you like this part ! :D

Stanley was drained from a long day of school and was eager to take a nap. It would only be half an hour, he had heaps of homework to do. Stan checked his watch, snugly wrapped around his right wrist. "4:55," he huffed. "I'll be in bed at five, take a nap, then start my bio homework," Stan murmured to himself, making a mental checklist as he unlocked the door to his home. 

He swiftly untied his shoes and kicked them off. He quickly grabbed them and neatly put them by the door. He took off his backpack and placed it beside the couch. He took off his jacket, placed it on the coat rack, and grabbed his backpack again. Stanley gently walked up the stairs, thinking about something someone had said to him in class. 

He heard groaning from his bedroom and immediately assumed Bill had hurt himself and hastened his pace. Stanley gently opened the door, not expecting to see Bill’s pale back. He was hovering over a girl, who was also shirtless, which made heat rise to Stan's cheeks, and...

Oh.

_Oh_. 

_They were..._

Stanley smoothly closed the door, keeping his composure. He hurriedly ran down the stairs and put his shoes back on. Without thinking of grabbing his jacket, he walked out of the door, backpack in hand. 

Stan exhaled sharply and leaned against the door. He felt close to tears for some reason, and from his chest up felt hot. He was sure that he looked as red as Beverly’s hair. Stan slowly slid down to sit on the concrete stairs that led up to the door he was leaning on. 

“Oh my God...” He whispered to himself, putting his face in his hands. Where was he going to go? What was he going to do? He could text Ben, he would surely pick him up.

**[stanley :)] Hey Ben! Are you and Bev busy? I need a ride**

**[Ben] sorry stan :( bev and i are out... we’re adopting a puppy!!**

**[stanley :)] It’s okay! Just make sure to name the dog after me**

**[Ben] of course! ;)**

Stanley felt like crying even more now. He took deep breaths and tried to focus on the birds' chirps. That always calmed him down. He wished that he was with Richie, he would know how to make Stanley smile within seconds. Stanley mentally face-palmed and took out his phone again.

**[stanny!!!] Hey Richie, could you pick me up?**

**[Richie Tozier] is that a pick-up line or......**

**[stanny!!!] No!! I just need a ride**

**[Richie Tozier] oh :smirk: what kind of ride?? is THAT a pick-up line????**

**[stanny!!!] Richie...**

**[Richie Tozier] okay okay i'll lay off;; let's restart**

**[stanny!!!] Ugh. Fine**

**[stanny!!!] Hey Richie, could you pick me up?**

**[Richie Tozier] sure thing stannio! what for?**

**[stanny!!!] I’ll explain when you get here**

**[Richie Tozier] address pretty pleeease**

Stanley texted Richie his address and put away his phone. He focused on the birds until a black car parked in front of his house. An unfamiliar car, so Stan immediately assumed it was Richie. Then again, the last time he immediately assumed something...

The window rolled down to reveal a grinning Richie. He wolf-whistled and sent a wink to Stan. “Aren’t you a pretty little thing?” He called, making Stan roll his eyes and pick up his bag. He went to the passenger seat and put his backpack by his feet. 

“So where am I taking you?” Richie asked, taking a quick look-over Stanley, causing him to flush a little more. “Oh- uh... Not sure. Anywhere. Bill was... With a girl in our bed.” Stanley confided, folding his hands in his lap. 

“Oh. We could... Go to a park..?” Richie ended on a lilt to make it sound like a question. “Sure.” Stanley nodded, sending Richie a small smile. Richie changed the gear to drive and put his foot on the gas pedal.

Stan glanced over at Richie and was immediately hit with the sight of his freckles. It was overwhelming with how many he had. The various sizes and opacities were breathtaking in Stan's eyes. 

Richie's eyes were just as stunning as before. He wasn't wearing his glasses yet his eyes were still big. Stanley didn't know why he expected his attraction to go away. 

Today, Richie was wearing a black shirt that had a dinosaur pattern. His jeans were white and he was wearing light pink, high-top converse that matched some of the dinosaurs on his shirt. Again, they weren't tied. He was wearing the same rings, though some were missing. His nails were now chipped and he was wearing different earrings. The scab on his chin was fading and his lip appeared more healed. 

"Y'know, you can take pictures of me. It'll last longer." Richie quipped, causing heat to rise to Stanley's cheeks. "Sorry for staring..." He mumbled, avoiding eye-contact. "Yeah, you said that last time too." Stanley blushed a redder shade. "Maybe it _is_ every day that a cutie checks you out."

"Your lip looks better," Stanley mentioned, making Richie glance at Stanley for a moment. 

"Okay, that _definitely_ sounded like a pick-up line. And I'm _not_ not into it but if it was anyone else, you should take a guy out to din-" " _No!_ That's _not_ what I meant!" Stanley interrupted as a flush crept up from his neck to his face. 

"Just... Your lip was busted yesterday, _right_? It looks like it's getting better. That's all." Richie was quiet for a little. "Oh. Uh, thanks I guess." Stanley regretted saying anything. Richie's mere silence made him think they were walking on ice, or possibly glass. 

"You don't need to thank me, it was just an observation," Stanley responded with a delicate voice, making Richie grin. " _Ah_ , is that what you're calling it? You're just ‘observing’ me. It's not that you think I'm attractive?"

Stanley kept his composure despite the heat rising to his cheeks. He noticed Richie was always instantaneous to change the subject, but he wasn't going to mention that. "I didn't say that. I mean, your clothing choice is absurd, of course, I'm going to observe." Richie's grin stayed plastered onto his face. "What's so funny?" Stanley furrowed his eyebrows. 

"Oh, nothing... So, you're not denying that you think I'm attractive?" Richie took a glimpse over at Stanley. "Well, I, uh..." The car slowed to a stop as they reached a red-light. Richie turned his undivided attention to Stanley. "Um..." Stan was flushing again. It seemed as though whenever he was around Richie, his cheeks were always warm. He would never acknowledge that. 

"Yes, by magazine standards, you _are_ attractive. You have a very symmetrical face, which I honestly just noticed. Your cheekbones are very high and you have a nice jawline," Stanley didn't realize he was tracing over Richie's features with his thumb as he spoke. "Your nose is thin, and oh, these freckles. It's almost like a galaxy, I'm sure I could find some constellations if I really tried." Stanley nearly did for a moment, only to remember what he was talking about. 

"Ah, your eyes." A small smile found a way to Stan's lips. "You have big, round eyes, that give a sense of security and child-like wonder. Your eyelashes are long, and the color, this baby blue hue, your eyes are truly breathtaking. Your hair..." Stanley gave a small laugh. "Your hair is a mess despite how short it is, but it's still... So _you_."

Richie smiled and Stanley added another feature. "This dimple. To everyone, dimples are always charming." Stanley snapped out of his trance when the light turned green. He pulled back his hand and sat facing the window. "Yes, you're attractive. You could be a model if you wanted to." Stanley concluded and Richie focused on driving again. 

Richie snickered, parking in the park's parking lot. "Thank you, Stan. But that wasn't my question." Stanley looked at Richie confused and almost embarrassed. "I asked if I was attractive to _you_ . Not by magazine or model standards. By _your_ standards." Stanley pursed his lips. "Oh. Well, yeah, I guess."

Richie sat back in his seat and thought for a moment. "You know... You're attractive to me." Richie mentioned nonchalantly. Stan parted his lips to say something, but Richie just stepped out of the car. Stanley scrambled out to follow him. "Wait. Richie!" 

Stanley huffed at seeing Richie was already walking away. "Fucking Goliath with stupid long legs." Stanley groaned, jogging to catch up to Richie. "Hey, Stan," Richie smirked. Stanley rolled his eyes. "You walk too fast."

"Oh, would you like me to slow down, princess? Or maybe I should carry you?" Richie suggested, making Stan's cheeks flare an appalling red. " _Shut up_. What were you saying before?" Stanley asked. Richie stayed silent.

Stanley's eyes illuminated. "Rich _ie_..." He taunted, extending the "e" sound. "Do you think I'm attractive?" Stan was disregarded again. Richie sat on a swing and Stanley sat on one next to him. “By magazine standards, yes, you are attractive,” Richie replied, making Stanley shake his head. Richie smiled and strolled in front of Stanley before crouching to become eye-level. 

Richie placed his palm on Stanley’s cheek and mirrored his movements of tracing his features with his thumb. “Your golden curls practically glow and the sun just enhances it. You have gorgeous green eyes, that makes you seem curiously intelligent, which you are. You have the cutest button nose that I have ever seen. The small freckles that you can only see in the right lighting are so adorable. And these lips...” Stanley was just about trembling under Richie’s touch. It would’ve eased his mind if he could say something, but Richie was just _there_.

Richie cleared his throat and took a step back. “Yeah... Yeah, you’re attractive.” Stan’s face was hot. Richie sat on the swing again. “Thanks, Rich...” Stanley muttered, digging his shoe into the wood chips. “Yeah,” Richie whispered.

“So you said Bill was with a girl?”

“Yeah... He was in our shared bed.” Stanley muttered, a bit irritated with the situation. “Wait.” Richie furrowed his eyebrows. “ _Shared_ bed? Aren’t you in high school?” Stanley shifted in his swing seat. “Okay, well. So, I’m Jewish...” Stanley mentioned, glancing at Richie to see if he was upset by that. He was surprised to see Richie was looking at Stan with a neutral expression. “And I’m bisexual...” Again, much to Stanley’s surprise, Richie’s eyes brightened. “So instead of admitting it to my parents, immediately when I turned 18, I moved in with Bill. We just share the same bed to save money.”

“Huh.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Stanley bit his lip, worried about what Richie would think. But... Why does he care? He just met Richie, his opinion shouldn’t matter as much as it did. “Just... Processing.” Richie nodded and Stan nodded as well.

“Do you wanna go to my house?” Richie asked, peering at Stanley. Stan didn’t know what to say. Yes, he wanted to, but he had just confessed that he was into males and didn’t want to be taken advantage of. “Just to hang out.” Richie clarified, seeing the worry painted on Stan’s face. “Just to hang out,” Stanley repeated, writing it into stone. “Great.” Richie simpered.

Richie’s house was one of the most interesting places Stan has ever been to. It was spacious for an apartment yet every room was filled with something that reflected Richie’s personality. Stan didn’t get time to analyze the house as he was pushed along to Richie’s room. It was almost comforting, the way Richie gently placed his hand on Stanley’s lower back to move him along. 

“Welcome to my humble abode,” Richie smiled, sitting on the swivel chair by his desk. Stanley was determined to study his room, _especially_ because he didn’t get to look at the other rooms.

There were a few posters up on a wall, bands Stanley didn’t recognize. Pictures of Richie and his friends were taped onto the wall as well. Stan noticed - out of his peripheral view - the LED tape lights that bordered the top of the walls. He had a big table underneath the decorations that were carrying Richie’s possessions. There were a couple of notebooks, loose pictures with a tape dispenser next to them, a framed photo of a younger Richie with two adults; Stanley assumed his parents, a television and two game consoles, and a potted cactus. Richie’s bed was neatly made with a blanket haphazardly thrown over the comforter. His bedside drawer had a lamp on it. Lights were strung above the head of the bed and there were paintings on the wall. There were three, a cactus, a sunset, and Richie himself. On a different wall, was the window, overlooking the city roads. The last wall had movie posters and a few pictures of Richie with different celebrities. 

“You met Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson? And Guy Fieri? Oh my God, there are so many of these. How did you meet so many people? These aren’t even conventions- you just... _Met them_?” Stanley asked, in awe, as he gazed over the pictures of Richie with Mike Myers, Bella Thorne, Kim Kardashian (which Stanley gaped at), Simon Cowell, Justin Bieber, Dr. Phil, Gordon Ramsay and more. “I have people on the inside,” Richie spoke with a hint of humor and received an unimpressed stare from Stanley which he snickered at. “I get out a lot, I guess. I do have people on the ‘inside,’ if you call it that. I just know the right places to be at the right time. Luck, probably."

_Coincidence_ , Stanley thought but decided not to say it.

Hours passed as the two got to know each other better. Stanley got to know Richie a lot better, and vice-versa. It was getting late and Stanley noticed time seemed to go faster when he was around Richie. He didn’t like it. He checked his watch, 9:36 PM. “Oh, shit,” Stan whispered, eyes widening. “Can’t you stay a little longer?” Richie whined, frowning. 

As much as Stanley wanted to say yes, he knew no was the right answer. Bill would be concerned, he had to feed his (non-existent) cat, another reason... He had homework to do. “Yeah, I have homework to do.” That’s not what he meant to say.

“Great! I can help you if you want,” Richie suggested, receiving a skeptical stare from Stanley as he took out his work materials and placed them on Richie’s desk. “Ouch,” Richie snickered nonetheless, placing himself on his bed. “Seriously, I had straight A’s for the entire time at school.” He grinned when Stanley considered it.

Stanley shook his head. “No, thank you. It’s pretty easy stuff. Just refreshers on calc.” Richie’s eyes lit up. “Really? Math is my favorite subject!” Stanley gave him a disgusted look. “Ew. Who _likes_ math?”

Richie barked a laugh but sent Stanley an offended look. “ _Me_! I was going to study to be a math teacher but I decided to go the comedy route.” Stanley started to work on the problems on his sheet. “Oh? What’s your major?” He asked distractedly.

Richie threw a rubber ball up and caught it. “English. I got a scholarship, surprisingly. John Mulaney took an English major so I decided to.” Stanley exhaled through his nose with a smile as a laugh as he scrawled down an answer. “If you become successful, I’ll buy your merch.”

Richie snickered and repeated the action of tossing and catching. “Merch? I don’t think comedians sell merch.” Stanley flipped the page. “They don’t? Huh. Then I’ll buy your vinyl or whatever. Didn’t John Mulaney do that?”

“Yeah, but I don’t think I’ll ever be as famous as Mr. Mulaney.” Richie shrugged, placing the ball on the floor. “Oh, hush. One day you’ll be bigger than John. You’ll get _four_ comedy specials on Netflix.” Stanley assured as he erased the solution he just wrote.

“Doesn’t he have four?”

“If you count the Sack Lunch Bunch. That’s not a stand-up though.” Stanley stated, writing down his revised answer. “True. Do you need me to stop talking to get your work done?” Richie asked, pursing his lips. Stanley furrowed his eyebrows. “No, you’re totally fine.”

More hours passed as the two chatted and Stanley did his homework. As soon as he finished he checked his watch. 1:28 AM. “Oh, _shit!”_ Stanley subduedly shouted. “I have to go.” Richie checked his phone. “Crap, yeah. I’ll drive you home.”

Stanley quickly packed all of his things and Richie put on shoes and grabbed his keys. “Where’s your jacket?” Richie asked as Stan put on his backpack and shoes. “Oh. I didn’t bring one.” Richie frowned. “Well, it’s cold out now, so take one of mine.”

“Are you-” 

“ _Yes_ . Take it.” Richie handed him a multi-colored hoodie. It had a teal sleeve, a pink sleeve, a yellow hood, and a blue body. “ _So weird_ ,” Stan mumbled as he took off his backpack. He delicately put on the hoodie even though it was twice his size. He wore it like a dress. He put his backpack on and the two boys headed out the door.

As the two walked out of the building, a gust of wind sent a shiver down Stanley’s spine. “See, imagine how cold you’d be without my hoodie.” Richie half-joked as they entered the car. Stanley smiled and put his backpack on the floor. 

“Thanks. For picking me up, letting me stay over, and driving me home.” Stanley’s simper stayed on his face as he looked out the window. He realized the hoodie had the scent of Richie’s cologne and he subtly swooned. “Of course, Stanny. I’m sure you would do the same for me.” Stan figured he was right. Even though they had just met, he felt the connection. “Yeah, definitely.” 

The rest of the car ride was filled with comfortable silence as Richie focused on driving and Stan watched the scenery pass by. Richie double-parked in front of Stanley’s house. Stan started to take off Richie’s hoodie. “Uh- keep it.” 

“Are you-”

Richie smiled. “ _Yes_ , keep it.”

“Thank you for everything.” Stanley took his backpack and walked around the car to head to his front door. He felt bad for not giving anything in return so he turned back around and planted a gentle kiss on Richie’s cheek from outside the window. “Get some rest, okay?”

Richie’s cheeks were a bright red and Stan figured his face looked similar. “Uh. Yeah. Sure, yeah. You too.” Richie stumbled over his words, making Stan laugh softly. “See you later, alligator.”

“In a while, crocodile,” Richie responded dreamily as Stan walked away. Richie waited for Stanley to enter the house before driving off. Stan took off his shoes and took off his backpack. He walked up the stairs with a stupid grin on his face because he had a stupid crush on a stupid boy. 

He opened the door to his bedroom to see Bill sitting up on his phone. “Oh, hi.” Stanley greeted, surprised that Bill was still awake. He flicked the light switch, making Bill squint. “ _Oh my God,_ hey Stan.” Bill let out a breath and laid back. “J-Jeez, I was worried sick. I thought you were hurt, you w-weren’t answering any of my texts or calls.”

“Sorry... My phone was on Do Not Disturb and I wasn’t checking it.” Stanley explained, putting his backpack by his desk. “Obviously. Where were you?” Bill paused and Stan turned to see him sitting up again. “Who’s is that?” Bill asked, referencing the hoodie. Stanley blushed, putting his hands in the pockets before taking the hoodie off and hanging it up. “A friend’s.”

“A friend’s,” Bill repeated. “So you’ve been with this friend all day?”

“Yeah. You were fucking some girl, and I didn’t want to be here to hear that.” Stanley sneered, surprising both of them with his anger. Now it was Bill’s time to blush. “Oh. Sorry. I changed the sheets.”

“Good,” Stanley muttered, turning on the lamp by his bed. He turned off the light and went into their walk-in closet to change. “Stan, I-I’m really sorry. I didn’t realize wh-wh-what time it w-was and-”

“Save it, Bill. It’s fine.”

Bill stayed quiet.

Stanley climbed into bed and turned off his lamp. “I’m just going to get some rest, okay?” Bill sighed and laid down again. “Yeah, o-okay.”

Stanley took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He wasn’t sure why he was so upset. The whole thing benefited him anyways. He guesses it was just him being embarrassed by it. Stan took another breath and let himself drift into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave feedback!! lmk if i made any errors, it would be greatly appreciated :)


	3. Tuesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie goes to brunch with Stanley and his friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so sorry i died for 12 days!! this was supposed to go out last week but i wasnt feeling motivated and didnt want to rush it and have it be bad :-( hope u enjoy!

**stanley - richie**

**[stanny!!!] Good morning, Richie**

**[Richie] hi stanny!! :D**

**[stanny!!!] I wasn't expecting an immediate response...**

**[Richie] i woke up early today**

**[stanny!!!] What time do you usually wake up?**

**[Richie] uhh 10am maybe???**

**[stanny!!!] Richard! That is so late!**

**[Richie] whaaaaaat??? thats early**

**[stanny!!!] Dear Christ...**

**[stanny!!!] How are you?**

**[Richie] i just woke up so pretty fine**

**[Richie] why did u wake up so late??**

**[stanny!!!] It's an off day for school, I didn't know it was until I woke up so I just went back to sleep**

**[Richie] oh cool!! wanna facetime??**

**[stanny!!!] Oh, sure**

" _Richie Tozier would like to FaceTime..._ " popped up on Stanley's screen. He nervously bit his lip and messed with his hair a little bit. He tapped the green button and Richie's face appeared on his phone. "Hey, Stanny." Richie greeted with a big grin. His eyes were squinted and his hair was messier than usual. What really got Stan's heart racing was his raspy morning voice. 

"Hi, Richie." Stanley smiled back at him. "Where are you?" Richie asked, tilting his head. "In my living room," Stanley said, quietly, looking around. He and Bill had decorated it so nicely when he moved in. Stan moved in at the beginning of the school year, and can’t imagine what it would be like if he was still with his parents. "Bill's still sleeping and we have to get ready soon."

"For what?" Richie asked, putting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. Stanley exhaled drearily. "Every time all of us are free, we have brunch. My last-minute class cancellation meant all of us aren't busy this morning." Richie furrowed his eyebrows. "You don't seem too excited about that." Stanley shrugged, getting up and walking to the bathroom. "I'm just tired, I guess. Hold on a second, I'm going to brush my teeth."

"Okie dokie." Richie raised his hand to show a thumbs up. Stanley muted his side, turned on the faucet, and placed his phone on the sink edge. Much to his surprise, Richie continued to talk. "Y'know, I'm pretty bummed that we can't hang out today. Is that clingy? I'm just so accustomed to being with you every morning now that I kinda like it. A lot. It feels natural to talk to you and be around you. I don't know if that's because we just met and I want to get to know you better or if it's because we're soulmates. I'd like to believe we're soulmates. Then again, I think that Mike and Eddie are my soulmates too. But that's after years of knowing them. But with you, we just met and I can already feel our connection..." 

Richie continued to ramble as Stanley finished brushing his teeth. He kept talking and Stanley made his hair look neater. He picked up his phone again and Richie was still talking. "Oh my God, are you finally done?" Richie asked, extending the ‘o’ in God, and Stanley pressed the microphone button. 

"Yes, sir, I am. Are you finally done talking?" Stanley retorted with a smirk. Richie grinned, "Stan The Man gets off a good one! So you _are_ feisty!" Stanley rolled his eyes into a smile. "Hey, I could ask if you could come along to the brunch," Stanley suggested and Richie's eyes lit up. "You would do that?" 

Stan tittered at Richie’s excitement. "Sure, why not?" Stanley asked with a smile. He heard shuffling from his room. "Bill is waking up, I'll text you, okay?" He assured and Richie nodded. "Okay, Stanny. Talk to you later!" Richie smiled and waved. Stanley waved back and ended the call. 

Bill walked out of the room and greeted Stanley with a nod. Stanley smiled at him and went into their room to change. Bill never liked to talk before he brushed his teeth and was fully awake. His stutter was intensified, and he didn't like the feeling of morning breath. Stanley was proud of Bill for getting rid of stutter, he knew how much work it took.

Stan changed into a white dress shirt and put a navy blue sweater over-top. He put on dark gray pants and leather shoes. He went to his desk and gently put a coconut oil spray in his curls to keep it from frizzing and to make sure his hair was still hydrated. “You look nice,” Bill said from behind, causing Stan to turn around. “Thanks, but I wear something like this almost every day.” Stanley tittered, a bit confused. Bill shrugged with a lopsided smile and headed into the closet. _Odd,_ Stanley thought, looking at himself through the mirror. He picked up his phone.

**cool guys ONLY**

**[stanley] Can a friend of mine come along?**

**[beverly] YES :D we need new faces**

**[ben] sure! the more the merrier :)**

**[bill] what if we kept it the same,, haha jk... unless,,,,,,,,,**

**[beverly] overruled LOSER. this is the cool guys only gc. get out smh**

**[bill] ur so MEAN and for what**

**[beverly] bc i love u !!! hehe xoxo**

**[bill] i H8 U smh my head**

**[beverly] sh u love me**

**[bill] right sure yeeeaah**

**[beverly] BILL**

**[beverly] the only things u hate are jorts and flannels**

**[bill] I ONLY HATE THEM BC U GUYS MADE FUN OF ME**

**[bill] SMH this is why i h8 u**

**[beverly] nooo bc if u actually hated me u would type hate and not h8**

**[bill] unfortunately true :pensive: u know me too well**

**[stanley] Hey, Lovebirds: shut up, yeah?**

**[beverly] HOW DARE U**

**[bill] slander**

**[beverly] i would NEVER commit infidelity towards ben what kinda girl do u take me for**

**[stanley] Annoying. Bye!! See you there <3**

**[beverly] STANLEY JAMES URIS**

Stanley smiled at Beverly’s yelling at him through the phone. He quickly changed contacts.

**stanley - richie**

**[stanny!!!] My friends said you can come!**

**[Richie] cool! :D**

**[Richie] so i’ll pick u up?**

**[stanny!!!] Sure. Pick me up in half an hour**

**[Richie] sounds gooood! see u then :)**

**[stanny!!!] Yep, talk to you later!**

Stanley simpered down at the texts before putting his phone in his pocket. He looked at the coat rack and saw Richie’s hoodie still there. He looked at it with pursed lips before taking it into his arms. The scent of Richie’s cologne still drifted through the surrounding air. Stanley contemplated putting it on, but decided against it. He stuck his hand in the pocket and pulled out two Polaroid pictures. _How had I not noticed this before?_ He wondered, inspecting the photos.

The first picture was of Richie and Eddie. It showed their full bodies with a scenery of trees and grass. Richie put a thumbs up with an awkward grin and Eddie was laughing. Richie was wearing this hoodie, which explains why they’re in these pockets.

The second Polaroid was Eddie and Richie again. The scenery was the same, but it was a bust photo. Eddie had his fingers bracketing Richie’s face, his thumb on one side, the other four on the other side. He was squishing Richie’s cheeks and leaned his head towards Richie. The taller boy was caught in a laugh and held Eddie’s wrist.

Stanley found himself smiling at the photos and putting them back in the hoodie’s pocket. He walked downstairs and reached to the cupboard. Bill came up from behind and grabbed a glass, handing it to Stanley. “Unnecessary, but thank you.” Bill smiled at Stanley as he poured himself water. “What?” Stan looked at him skeptically before taking a sip from his cup.

“You haven’t grown since your Sophomore year.” Bill grinned, making Stan glare at him. “That was only two years ago. I’m also not that short.” He sneered, turning his head away. “5’7 is pretty short.” Bill snickered, leaning on the kitchen island. “You’re not cool for being 5’10.” Stanley scoffed, putting his cup down. 

“I mean... I am pretty cool.” Bill glanced to the side. Stanley let out a bubbled laugh. “Yes, Bill. You’re pretty cool. But not for being three inches taller than me.” Bill laughed as well, watching Stanley take another swig from his glass and putting it in the sink.

Stanley’s phone buzzed and he got a text from Richie, saying that he was at his house. “Oh. I have to go.” He said, putting his phone in his pocket. “We’re not going together?” Bill asked, furrowing his eyebrows. Stanley went upstairs to grab the hoodie and Bill followed. “No, my friend is picking me up.” He didn’t follow Stanley back down. 

“I’ll see you there!” Stanley called, walking towards the door. He got no response. Though when he opened the door, just slightly, Bill ran down the stairs and gave him a quick peck on his lips, his hands on either side of Stan’s face. “Bye, love you, stay safe.” Stanley simpered, used to this kind of behavior. “Love you too, I will.”

Stan walked to Richie’s car while biting his lip, thinking. He entered the car and Bill waved goodbye, Stanley returning. “What’s going down in StanleyTown?” Richie asked, grinning at Stanley. “Not much.” Stan smiled at Richie. “How are you?”

“Better now that we’re together.” Richie tittered sheepishly. “The place is 11 Central, right?” Stanley nodded and handed Richie his hoodie. “Here, thanks for letting me use it.” Richie gave it back to Stanley. “I thought I told you to keep it,” Richie raised an eyebrow at Stan. “Yeah, but...”

“No buts,” Richie commented before driving off.

Stanley looked out the window, thinking about Bill’s kiss. That was a normal thing between them since they were kids. Bill was his first kiss from a boy. It was an experimental thing, to test if Stanley actually liked boys. They called it Kissing Practice for a while until it became routine. Even when Bill ranted about Beverly, he would _still_ kiss Stanley. Why did Stanley feel so guilty about it now? They kind of had an unspoken thing, but that’s the thing: _they never spoke about it._ Now that Richie was in Stan’s picture, he didn’t know if he wanted to continue it. 

“Hey, so...” Richie started, getting Stanley’s attention. He furrowed his eyebrows. “Are you alright? You look flushed.” Richie put the back of his hand on Stan’s forehead. “I-I’m fine. Both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.” Stanley instructed, making Richie laugh. “Right.”

“So, I do this thing with my friends. I wanted to know if you were okay with it.” Richie mentioned, a little wary. “What is it?” Stan asked, observing Richie’s freckles. “I... I kiss them? Not on the lips. It’s just as a greeting and a goodbye.” A pause. “Like what you did last night,” Richie said, glancing at Stan.

_Great. Just what I needed._ Stanley thought, sarcastically. “Sure. That’s okay.” Richie grinned, exhaling a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Cool.” 

Richie turned on the radio, though it was connected to his phone with Bluetooth. The first song that was played was _Jessie’s Girl_ by Rick Springfield. Stanley smiled at the song choice and how Richie tapped the wheel to the beat. 

Stanley noticed that his nail polish wasn’t chipped anymore, and now black. He only wore one ring and had a bracelet on. He only wore one earring and it was a stud. It was odd, usually, Richie was more fashionable than this. Stan didn’t think too much of it.

They soon arrived at 11 Central, Richie parked fairly close to the building. Stanley was pleased to see that they were right on time. The two walked into the restaurant, Stan immediately spotted a head of fiery red hair. “Come on,” Stanley muttered to Richie. The two made their way over to the girl, and Stan was engulfed in a hug. “Stanley!” She grinned at him when she pulled away. “Hey, Stanley.” Ben greeted, waving a bit. “Hi,” he greeted with a smile. 

“This is my friend.” Stanley briefly introduced. Richie shook hands with both of them. “Hi, I’m Beverly! This is Ben, my boyfriend.” Bev smiled at Richie, giving him a quick look-over. As they talked, Stanley looked over Richie as well. He wore a dark green sweatshirt, black jeans, and white socks that led down to dark green converse to match his shirt. He looks nice, but unlike what he wears when it’s just him and Stan.

Beverly announced that she and Ben would get a table and Richie turned to Stanley. “Are you... Dressed _down?_ ” Stanley asked Richie, making him look away. “What? No. What does that even mean?” Rich rambled, causing Stanley to laugh. “Oh my God, you want to impress my friends!” 

Beverly waved at them, and the four walked to a table. “ _No, I don't. Shut up._ ” Richie whispered hastily, making Stan giggle. The table was a circle booth, Ben and Bev went in on one side and Stan and Richie went on the other side. As if on cue, Bill showed up and slid next to Beverly. Everyone greeted Bill and he returned them. “I’m Richie.”

“Bill.” He nodded at Richie, before starting a conversation with Beverly and Ben.

“Woah, _that’s_ Bill?” Richie whispered to Stan, making Stanley glance at him with a confused look. “Yes, why?” He asked, the same volume as Richie. “He’s like... _Hot_.” Richie commented, causing Stanley to bubble a laugh. “Yeah, I know.” Richie put an arm around Stanley’s shoulders and Stan leaned into it, rolling his eyes into a smile.

Beverly and Bill give them a surprised look. Richie is always touchy-feely, and Stanley just got used to it. But his group of friends knows that he usually doesn’t like to be touched. “Is this your boyfriend?” Bill asked, his eyes flickering between the two males. Stanley’s face heated up and didn’t dare to look at Richie. “ _No_ , we’re not dating.”

“If only Stan the Man would accept my love.” Richie grinned, pinching Stanley’s cheek. Stan’s face went hot as he pushed Richie’s hand away. “ _Richie_ ,” he whined quietly. He glanced at Beverly to see her grinning from ear to ear, and Bill, who watched them with a sneer. Ben started a new conversation.

Throughout the whole brunch, Richie stayed pretty quiet. He made small quips occasionally, but for the most part, he was silent. The brunch lasted for about two hours, though it felt like it flew by for Stan. The group walked to the front of the building, chatting among themselves. Beverly took Stanley by the hands and slightly veered him away from the group. “I like him!” She grinned, making Stanley smile. “Yeah, me too. He’s really great.”

Beverly studied his face for a moment. “Hey... I know that look.” Her grin didn’t falter. Stan furrowed his eyebrows. “What look? I don’t have a look.” He glanced away. “Oh, Stanny,” Richie’s nicknames had rubbed off. “You have multiple looks. You have a _‘My paper’s due in two days and it’s already finished and I’ve revised it nine times but I’m worried my teacher won’t like it’_ look.” Stanley scoffed, yet his cheeks dusted pink.

“You have a _‘Oh, my, look at that wonderful bird’_ look. Which is my favorite by the way, you look like you have stars in your eyes, it’s the cutest thing ever.” Every look she said, she did a passable impression of Stanley. He parted his lips to say something, but Beverly was too quick.

“You also have a _‘I think I just found the love of my life’_ look. It’s the same look you had when you were with Patty.” Beverly concluded, making Stan blush. “When Patty moved, you had a look that broke my heart.” She paused. _“Don’t let this one get away.”_

Stanley nodded and Beverly kissed him on both of his cheeks. “Text me later.” She instructed and Stanley nodded again. Ben said his goodbye and the two of them headed to their car. Stanley turned to the other boys to see them shaking hands. Richie was a few inches taller than Bill, it was silly to Stan.

Bill looked at Stanley. “I’ll see you at home.” Bill went in for a kiss, but Stanley turned his head slightly. His face felt hot. “Unlock the doors.” Stan told Richie as he sped off to the car. The car’s doors unlocked as he got there and he quickly got into the passenger’s seat.

Stanley inhaled for a long moment and held his breath. Richie soon entered the car, talking. "Yo, hey, what was that? You left me with Billiam, it was kind of awkward." He looked at Stanley, concerned at his shrinking demeanor.

"Woah, woah, woah, are you okay? What’s wrong?" Stanley exhaled and started laughing in hysterics. "Oh, yeah, I’m okay, it’s just Bill isn’t keen on PDA so I freaked when he kissed me." Stan explained hastily. He began to overthink about kissing in general which led to him hyperventilating. Richie assumed it was going to trail into a panic attack.

“Hey, man, that’s alright. Just breathe, it’s okay.” Richie instructed. When Stanley didn’t follow, Richie gently held Stan’s hands and rubbed over his knuckles with his thumbs. “Hey, Stanley, look at me,” Richie directed, though he gently took Stanley’s chin and lifted it to connect their eyesight.

_“Take a deep breath.”_

Stanley inhaled, tears pricking his waterline. When he exhaled, a few tears streamed down his face. Richie didn’t say anything about it.

“It’s okay. Everything will be okay. I’m here.” Richie assured, squeezing Stanley’s hands, which only caused him to cry harder. Richie scrambled out of the car and made his way around. He opened the passenger door and tapped the hood of the car. “C’mon. Out.”

Stanley slowly exited the car, Richie immediately wrapped his arms around him. Stanley cried into Richie’s chest and he allowed it. “I-” exhale. “I’m-” hiccup. “I’m sorry.” Stanley tried apologizing through tears. “It’s alright, babe. There’s nothing to be sorry for.” Richie soothed Stanley in the best way he could. Mainly petting his hair and caressing his face. Stanley sharply inhaled at the term of endearment, resulting in him coughing. Stan quickly turned away and coughed into his elbow. 

Once Stan caught his breath and finished crying, he laughed softly. “I’m sorry, this is a mess.” Richie smiled at Stanley and cupped one of his cheeks, Stan subconsciously leaned into his touch. “You still look beautiful.” He murmured gently, causing heat to rise up to Stanley’s face. “Alright, alright. Enough. There’s no way I could look good right now.” Stanley giggled out, removing Richie’s hand from his face. “But you do!” Richie grinned, opening the passenger side door. Stanley mumbled a thank you as he entered the car.

Richie sat in the driver’s seat and glanced at Stanley. He chewed on his lip, trying to find the words. “You okay?” He settled on with a gentle voice. Stanley stole a look at Richie before looking down. “Yeah. I, um... I have anxiety, so that happens more often than not.” He sighed, fiddling with his hands in his lap. Richie started the car and placed a hand on Stan’s leg. “I’m here for you.” He mentioned before he started driving. 

Stanley felt warm inside and out and his mind was fuzzy.

_I could get used to this._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 11 central is a restaurant in bangor, maine- where derry was based off of! :)
> 
> leave feedback!! kudos' and comments let me know that u want more :)


	4. Wednesday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am so so so sorry for releasing this so late!!! i’ve been busy with ... being lazy :// this dumb pandemic is POOPY  
> i’ve had this done for a while, i just wanted to get a head start on thursday so hopefully that’ll be done soon!!  
> i hope you enjoy <3

The singing of birds drifted through the air. Simple chirps, calls back and forth. Loud enough to wake Stanley up. The twitter was warbled in Stan’s groggy mind and he let out a small groan. Stanley looked beside him to see Bill sleeping peacefully. A small smile involuntarily showed on Stan’s face.

He rubbed the crust out of his eyes at 4:57 AM, yawning quietly. He checked around his room to see if everything was the same. Sighing through his nose, he got out of his bed, and made his way to his closet. He picked out one of his normal outfits, a white dress shirt and put a navy red sweater over-top. He grabbed dark gray pants and leather shoes as well. He went to his desk and laid them out and gently put a coconut oil spray next to it.

Stan took a towel from a shelf and made his way to the bathroom. He turned the water knobs and let the water warm up. He undressed outside of the shower, neatly folding his clothes and putting them on the toilet seat. He considered taking a bath, but it was too early in the morning and he might’ve fallen asleep while bathing. Stanley carefully stepped into the shower, careful not to slip. He stood in the warm water for a minute, letting the pitter of the water wash over him. Stanley lathered shampoo into his hair and shut his eyes to rinse it out.

He remembers being little and being scared of taking a shower with his eyes closed. Scared of monsters coming to eat him before he opened his eyes. Scared of the unknown. He guesses his fears aren’t very different. The only monsters he has to fear now are his overwhelming love life with Bill and Richie, his hormones going haywire, and keeping his grades up.  _ Awesome. _ He thinks.  _ I prefer being eaten by monsters right now. _

At the thought of Richie...

Stanley had watched a few pornagraphy videos before. There was one that took place in a shower. It was straight (unfortunately) and the girl was pressed against the wall, just  _ taking it.  _ At the first sight of it, Stan was revolted.  _ “Bill! Do you understand how unsanitary that is?” He shrieked, making Bill laugh. “Stanny, I promise you, in the moment, you will not give a damn about ‘unsanitary.’” Stanley scoffed, mumbling a “yeah, right” under his breath.  _ Now, he completely understood.  _ What? Why am I thinking of Richie while showering? _

Stanley turned the water colder.

  
  
  


Stanley entered his room, his cheeks a little ruddy. If Bill asked, he showered with warm water.

After he changed, Stanley made his way to the bathroom again and took his time brushing his teeth. While he brushes his teeth, he thinks about how unsanitary (familiar word, huh) it is to have all of the toothbrushes in one place where all their bristles touch. When he was little, his mother told him not to worry about that kind of stuff, but he couldn’t help but think about it. He tried focusing on his brushing technique.

Stanley wiped his face when he was done. He quickly grabbed his white backpack that was littered with pins and stickers from Beverly and Bill. Still to this day, Ben is astounded by how Stanley manages to keep the backpack clean.

He hastily walked down the stairs (he was in no rush, he just walked fast) and went to the kitchen. Stan grabbed a sprouted-grain bagel and put it in the toaster. He turned to see his Bill walking in. “Good morning, Stanley.” He greeted, placing a kiss on Stan’s forehead, careful not to mess up his curls. “Morning, Bill.” Stan gave him a small smile. Bill caressed Stan’s cheek with his thumb with a solemn smile on his lips. “You’re still so beautiful.” Stanley parted his lips to say something, that was oddly similar to what Richie had said yesterday, but Bill cut him off with a kiss. Stanley absent-mindedly reciprocated the kiss, he was used to it. Bill was quick to add tongue and Stanley allowed it. He felt his stomach coil, not in a sexy way. He felt guilty about this. ‘ _ Why do I feel guilty about this?’ _

_ ‘I know, because there’s Richie. Who I barely know and barely knows me. Maybe if I could just talk to him about it. I wish everything was different. I wish I wasn’t such a coward-’ _

The toaster popped.

Stanley pulled away and the string of saliva that connected to their lips made his stomach ache even more. Stanley furiously wiped it away as he grabbed his bagel with a paper towel. “Well, I’m off to school. Have a good day.” He spoke hastily and speed-walked away. “Y-you too, Stan.” Bill called. Stanley involuntarily nodded before walking out the door.

He sighed before taking a bite of his bagel. The sun was rising and the birds had already started chirping. Stan started walking to school, admiring the birds. He placed the bagel in his mouth and let it dangle while he chewed. ‘ _ Why does Bill like me all of all of a sudden? Now that Richie’s in the picture... He’s being weird. Does Bill know that Richie is a potential love interest? Is this just a competition to him? Just a game?’ _

Stanley’s thoughts were interrupted by a car beeping and pulling up. He turned to see who it was. He looked and saw a familiar face, features being revealed as the window rolled down. Short, curly, dark auburn hair, bright baby blue eyes covered by thick glasses, and millions freckles with high cheekbones. Richie Tozier. 

“Hey, hot stuff.” Richie grinned at him.

Stanley went to speak, forgetting about the bagel. He took it out of his mouth and Richie smiled. “Beep beep.” Stanley called to him, referring to the beeps of his car horn. Richie only gave him a confused look.  _ That’s one way to shut him up.  _ Stanley thought with a smile. He shook his head to dismiss the greeting. “Anyways, what are you doing here? You’re not stalking me, are you?” Stanley asked, walking to the parallel parked car, holding the bagel in his hand. Richie grinned as he shook his head. “No, I was going on a cruise and happened to see you.” He smiled, making Stanley nod. “Oh. Okay.” 

“You walkin’ to school?” Richie asked, taking a glance over Stan. “Yep.” Stanley muttered, before taking a bite of his bagel. Richie tilted his head and glanced at the seat next to him. Stan got the message and sat in the passenger's seat. Richie placed a kiss on Stanley’s cheek, causing Stan to smile. “Go straight until the light and take a right.” Stanley instructed, Richie saluted. “Aye, aye, captain.” Richie started to drive. “Hey, I was thinking about what you said the other day. The ‘ew, who likes math’ comment,” Richie made his voice nasally and high-pitched to imitate Stanley. “My voice does  _ not  _ sound like that.” Stanley scoffed with a grin. “Yes, it does. But anyways, aren’t you going into an accounting major?” Stanley tilted his head, stealing a glance at Richie. “Yes, why?”

“Why aren’t you majoring in something you like?”

Stanley swore the breath was knocked out of him.  _ Why wasn’t he? _ “I... Don’t really have an interest. I’m good with numbers so... Accounting.” He furrowed his eyebrows, feeling something he couldn’t describe if someone asked. It felt like there was a frog in his throat and he was almost...  _ embarrassed?  _ “You like birds. Why not be an ornithologist?” Richie asked, looking at Stanley for a brief moment. “I don’t know. I never considered it.”

“Maybe consider it.” Richie smiled at Stanley, he couldn’t help but return the smile.

“This is your stop, babe.” That nickname was still new, one that made heat rise to Stanley’s cheeks. Richie turned to Stanley, blinking when he saw that Stan was glaring at his paper towel. “Oof... Did the paper towel do something to you?” Stanley blinked before looking up at Richie. “No, I was just thinking.”

Ben was passing by the car and Stanley rolled down his window. “Hey, Ben!” He called, waving out the window. Ben turned and took a double take before walking over to the car. “Hey, Stanley, Richie.” Ben smiled at the two of them. “You coming?” Ben rhetorically asked, tapping the entrance of the window. Stanley nodded before turning to Richie. “Thank you for driving me.” Stanley grinned at Richie, his spirit lifted just by being in Ben’s presence. Richie returned a smile. “Of course, Stan.”

As luck would have it, the two leaned in to give each other a kiss on the cheek. Their lips clashed and Stanley took a second to compute. They pulled away and Richie saw Stanley’s blush running down to under his shirt. “I-I’m so sor-“

“Have a good day.” Richie smiled at Stan, completely ignoring how red they both were. Stanley smiled and nodded, silently thanking him for not making it awkward.

_ Except that it was so completely awkward. _

Stanley scrambled out of the car and Ben put a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks, Rich.” Ben smiled and Richie nodded absent-mindedly. Ben led Stanley to the entrance of the school. Stanley eyes were glazed, it made Ben chuckle. “Hey, bud. How you holding up?”

_ “Holy shit.”  _ Stanley exhaled. “We kissed. Ben! We  _ kissed. _ ” Ben grinned at Stanley’s shock of the whole situation. “Yeah, man. I was there.” He chuckled, glancing to see Stanley’s face shift into a smile. “We kissed.” Ben ruffled Stan’s hair gently, not enough to ruin the curls. “Yeah. You like him?” Stanley shook his head. “Oh. No way. I don’t like him at all.” He mumbled, no hint of snark. Almost as if he didn’t realize he was talking. “Really? Beverly tells me that you non-stop text about him.”

“Well, yeah. That’s because we’re friends. It’s supposed to be Bill and I,  _ remember? _ Kissing Practice and whatever. Since we were kids.” Stanley rambled, sighing at the end.

“Blueprints for a life are stupid and you know that.” Ben glanced down at Stan. “It seems like you like him, based on the hearts in your eyes and the smile you’re wearing.” Stanley frowned to cover up his smile. “Maybe.” Ben nudged Stan. “Okay, yeah.  _ Yes, _ I like Richie. Jeez, I have a huge crush on him, okay? Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Is that what I wanted to hear? Or is that what you wanted to admit?”

_ Oh.  _ Stanley blinked. He looked up at Ben. Stan received a warm smile and a pat to his back. “See you in Art.” Ben simpered and Stanley waved as he walked away.

  
  
  


Stanley sat at his desk, setting his notebooks and pencils on his desk. He patiently waited for class to start, the vibration of his phone startling him. He quickly took his phone out of his pocket to see a text from Richie and a text from Beverly.

  
  


**stanley - beverly**

**[Beverly] STANLEYEYEUEJEJSJJE BEN TOLD ME**

**[stann] About?**

**[Beverly] HOW YOU AND RICHIE TOTALLY MADE OUT**

**[stann] Woah, okay. We didn’t make out. It was a short kiss and it was an accident**

**[Beverly] but u guys kissed 🥺🥺🥺🤲🤲🤲🤲**

**[stann] Goodbye now**

  
  
  


**richie - stanley**

**[Richie] hi**

**[stanny!!!] Hello**

**[Richie] how ru**

**[stanny!!!] Waiting for class to start. How are you?**

**[Richie] i’m okay**

**[stanny!!!] What’s up?**

**[Richie] i was thinking about our kids**

**[Richie] KISS******

**[stanny!!!] Oh**

**[Richie] im sorry if it made you at all uncomfortable and it was completely unintentional and i’m so sorry**

**[stanny!!!] Hey, it’s okay. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. You’re my first kiss after Bill. Granted I’d rather have our first kiss be under different circumstances but...**

**[Richie] oh OH OKAY COOL omg cool that’s really. cool**

**[stanny!!!] Lol. Yeah, cool**

**[Richie] stanley ur typing is a deal breaker**

**[Richie] why is ur caps lock ON and why don’t u keyboard smash 😭🤲**

**[stanny!!!] You type like Beverly**

**[Richie] that is an Honor**

**[Richie] hey so can i expect more kissing in the future ;););)**

**[stanny!!!] Slow down there. Yeah, I fully expect to kiss you again but we still need to get to know each other first**

**[Richie] ALRIGHT DEAL**

**[Richie] also if my lips are going ANYWHERE near yours, u have to change ur typing style**

**[stanny!!!] Dealbreaker**

**[Richie] STANNY NOOOOOOO ur lucky i’m DESPERATE**

**[stanny!!!] Class is starting, I have to go**

**[Richie] awwww :((( call me after school???**

**[Richie] wow um sorry for being so clingy ?? u don’t have to**

**[stanny!!!] No, I want to. I like talking to you**

**[Richie] oh okay cool :) ttyl :))))**

**[stanny!!!] See you later**

  
  


Stanley smiled down at his phone before someone sat next to him and he hastily clicked the off button. He took a sparing glance to see who was next to him. Familiar face... Connor Bowers.

Wait. Connor  _ Bowers _ .

_ Why was Connor Bowers sitting next to him? _

“You’re Stan Uris, right?” Connor asked, pulling up his legs to sit with his legs crossed. His knee was jabbing Stanley’s thigh but neither of them mentioned it. “Yes. Why?” Stanley kept his answers brief like he did with any new stranger. (Except Connor wasn’t a stranger, he was  _ Connor Bowers _ .) Connor narrowed his eyes shortly. “You’re hanging out with Richie Tozier now?” Connor mumbled, tilting his head towards Stanley, as if it was a jarring surprise to anyone who would hear. 

Stanley pursed his lips. “I guess.” Connor snickered a bit, lifting a knee to hold up his chin. His arm was wrapped around the risen thigh and his other leg lowered to the floor. “Seems like you are by the way everyone is talking about your kiss.” Connor mentioned nonchalantly, unaware of how much it gave Stanley the urge to puke. “People know about that?” Stanley whispered to Connor, earning a nod in response.

“Tozier was a hotshot here before he graduated. I’m assuming you transferred here recently.” Connor asked, leaning back, putting his legs on the metal desk supporters. Stanley shifted in his seat. “This year.” He replied, confirming Connor’s suspicions. He mentally cringed as Connor started to bite on his pen. Connor sighed and took a good look at Stanley. “So you just missed him. How did you guys meet?”

“Monsieur Bowers and Monsieur Uris, is there something you would like to share with the class?” Madame Jacobs asked with a hand on her hip. Connor took a slow glance at their teacher as Stan froze. “No, Grace, thank you though.” Connor responded with a coy grin. Stanley’s eyes widened. Calling a teacher by their first name? Ballsy. 

“You’re really taking after your cousin, huh?” Madame Jacobs tapped her fingernails on her desk. “Stanley, I expect more from you.”

“Yes, Madame, I’m sorry. For the both of us.” Stanley replies quickly and as politely as he could. Their teacher nodded and continued the lesson. “Goody two shoes.” Connor snickered. It was the last thing he said to Stanley before class started. 

Stan wasn’t really sure why Connor was talking to him or even  _ sat by him  _ in the first place. It was a little weird that he brought up Richie,  _ side note: Holy shit? Everyone knows. Not cool.  _

Double side note: Ask Richie about Connor Bowers.


End file.
